What if?
by Goldeneyedangel
Summary: AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become a part of the FBI but a suspect in a case involving a serial killer.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **What if?

**Author: **Goldeneyed Angel

**Rating: **M

**Pairings: **NONE

**Summary: **AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become a part of the FBI but a suspect in a case involving a serial killer.

**Disclaimer: **Blah Blah Blah, ramble ramble ramble I don't own criminal minds, blah blah ramble ramle. Now that I have got that out of my system ONWARD.

**Chapter: **One

**NEED TO READ TO UNDERSTAND STORY – **This story is AU and Reid is a teenager the rest of the team is at the age of when they are is the episodes. Reid's father didn't leave his mother but he is abusive towards Reid and his mother and he was held back from school and is not being allowed to jump grades because of his father.

The alley way was dark, lit only by the light of the moon and the softly reflected light of the street lamp at the start of the alley.

"You are a pretty little thing," a deep soft voice said as he slid towards the other small figure in the dark. "So young, skin so smooth and soft," the man slid his hand up and down the small figures back.

"No," a soft voice said and the small figure back up.

The man snarled, an animalistic sound coming from his throat. "Don't you dare, you said you would it is not time to back out, I want you so much," the man moaned and he pushed the small figure up against the brick wall. He lowered his head to suck the pale skin of the small figure's neck. He moaned, "You are so beaut-" he broke off in a gasp. He looked down in the large wide eyes that looked up at him. Before stumbling back a few steps. Gasping he looked down to see the hilt of a knife sticking out from between his ribs. Grabbing it he slowly pulled it from his chest. The red of wet blood glistened in the moonlight.

"I said no," said the figure as it stepped forward out of the deep and dark shadow to reveal, soft brown hair and eyes. Set in a smooth face of a teenage boy.

The clatter of steel against cement filled the air as the knife slipped through the man's hands. He opened and closed his mouth as he walked forward his hand out to grab the teen, but fell to his knees before pulling in one last gasp did he fall to the ground, his eyes open and staring into nothing.

The teen stood still for a moment before, tears fell from his eyes, "Why did you have to be like him?" he sobbed. He walked forward and knelt before closing the man eyes and turned him over onto his back. When anger gripped him and he stood, and kicked the man hard in his chest. "Damn, you" he screamed, "You are exactly like him. You don't care anything but yourself. YOU-JUST-DON'T-CARE." The last few words were screamed and kicks joined each word. He snarled his face contorted as he booted the dead man in his groin, "You are ruled by this," turning the teen snatched his knife back off the ground and turned into a crouch. "Let us see how much you really enjoy it." He opened the man's pants and grabbed hold of his scrotum in one fist and the other he swiped the knife down in one clean motion. The skin sliced easily under the sharp blade parting the man from his genitals. He moved up to the man's face and parted he still warm lips before stuffing them with the bloody organ in his hands.

"No," he sobbed and ran from the man and the dark alley.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **What if?

**Author: **Goldeneyed Angel

**Rating: **M

**Pairings: **NONE

**Summary: **AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become apart of the FBI but a serial killer.

**Disclaimer: **Blah Blah Blah, ramble ramble ramble I don't own criminal minds, blah blah ramble ramle. Now that I have got that out of my system ONWARD.

**Chapter: **Two

**AN:/ Spencer is going to be slightly different in his attitude towards people but I hope that it isn't to different but please enjoy. **

"I win," Emily Prentiss, threw her hands into the air and laughed.

"You're kidding me," Morgan tossed the cards in his hand away and slumped back into the chair and pouted.

"Another game?" Emily asked as she began to collect the cards strewn across Morgan's desk.

"And lose again, to just get more work, no thank you," Morgan said as he turned to his paperwork. "Beside this pile you just gave me is going to take me a month to get through," he moaned looking at the new pile of folders on his desk, each one signifying a game lost to Emily.

"Okay," Emily stood and turned to move back to her desk, "By the way Morgan-"

"What?" the dark man groaned.

"Thanks for taking some of my work it is a great help." Emily laughed as she ducked the piece of crumpled up paper flying towards her.

"Sorry to break the party up guys, but another case has come up," Emily turned to see JJ standing behind her, the woman's arms filled with files.

Morgan groaned and stood up, "Thank you JJ you are saving me time to start on this," he pointed to the paperwork.

Emily and JJ sniggered together as Morgan moved past them and into the round room.

"You think that he would learn not to bet paperwork against you by now," JJ said.

"Yeah, this time I thrashed him and he has got over half of my work, but don't worry when I finish my work I will sneak back most of the files." Emily said softly as she and JJ followed Morgan.

Entering the room they saw everyone else in the team had sat and was waiting for them.

"So what sick bastard are we after this time?" Morgan asked as Emily sat beside him.

"A male killer," JJ said as she handed everyone a file, "In Las Vegas two men have been found dead with their genitals cut off and stuffed into their mouths. Clicking a button two pictures appeared on the screen showing the two men.

Morgan winced, "Ouch."

"The first man, Graham Lamps, was found a month ago, on September 4th in an alley near the Las Vegas High School, the second man was found this morning two alleys from the main library in town." Clicking the remote again, two pictures of the men smiling appeared on screen.

"Okay, the plane leaves in twenty minutes so get ready, we are going to Las Vegas," Hotch said standing and gathered his file in his hands.

The rest of the team stood to and followed the man from the room.

* * *

Hands in pockets of jeans, back slouched and feet scraping against the footpath, Spencer made his way home as slowly as possible. He already had gone over his father's curfew what was a few more minutes added to the several hours. Sighing he stopped and looked up from his feet to the footpath, where grass could be seen growing through the cracks. The garden was overgrown, the lawn not mowed and the plants and trees, brown, limp and decaying. The house was just as poignant as the yard. The window frames sat crooked and many of the panes no longer existed. Weak lights shown through the tattered curtains that shielded most of the weather from entering the house, as raised voices began to hit him coming from the building. "Home Sweet Home," Spencer said before snorting. "What a load of crap," he said with a slight chuckle as he slouched further and began to move up the overgrown path. Pushing his way through the front door, he kicked off his shoes. Looking down at them he snorted, they were his mothers before she grew out of them.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" a voice roared followed by a tall, brown haired and eyed man. "YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HOME HOURS AGO."

"I was at the library finishing off my homework," Spencer drawled as he turned and squared off to face his father.

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO ME LIKE THAT," the man roared and backhanded the teen across his left cheek.

Grunting Spencer fell to the side slamming into the wall, 'Great' he thought as he slid to his knees, 'another bruise to add to the collection.'

"Get up," a calloused hand, reached down and pulled him to his feet, "You will finish your chores and then go to bed, you don't get dinner tonight."

"Not like I eat anyway we have no food as it is," Reid muttered.

"YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE-" the man drew his hand back to hit the teen again.

"NO -William leave him alone please," a woman pleaded as she came out of the small kitchen. "Spencer, go and do your chores as your father and I talk."

Detangling himself from his father's hand burrowed in his old school uniform, he quickly moved from the man and into the kitchen to start washing and drying the dishes.

"William, dear he is a teenager he is going through a stage that is all," the woman said.

"Diana, he is not to talk to me like that and he is to obey his father's commands." William said as he grabbed his coat from the rack.

"Where are you going this time dear?" Diana asked pleadingly.

"Out to talk with some work mates."

"More likely to get drunk and spend all the money. Don't worry, we don't need it, we'll be fine living on old mouldy bread," they heard Spencer mutter from the kitchen.

"WHAT WAS THAT BOY?" the man roared.

"Nothing," Spencer called back.

"It had better been," William snarled before grabbing his wallet and stalked from the house and down the street.

Diana held her breath and she watched him go and exhaled deeply when he disappeared from sight. Closing the door she moved into the kitchen to help Spencer finish the washing. Walking in the kitchen she found him with his hands in the dirty water washing a sharp knife. Picking up an old towel she picked up the only plate that wasn't chipped or cracked. "You shouldn't have said that dear, he could have hurt you."

"I know," Spencer snorted, "But it is the truth, he goes and drinks all our money when we could spend it on food so we don't have to live on the few dollars left over and the scraps that I steal from the bins of stores." He dropped the knife into the tray, "by the way," he said as he stalked over to his ratty bag at the door "Here," he said after pulling out half of a fruit loaf from the pocket. "You like fruit loaf; I have already eaten half, so you can have this." He threw the bread to his mother who caught with fumbling hands.

"Thank you Spence, thank you," she said as she hungrily dove into the loaf tearing pieces off with her teeth as she ate hungrily.

"You shouldn't let him do this to us mother," Spencer said softly, "He is going to kill us one day."

"I know Spence but I love him and I can never leave him, besides where would we go."

"Mother, there is a whole world out there," Spencer said angrily he swung his hand around, "I can quite school, I don't need to finish I knew more than the teachers since I was in grade five."

"You need school Spence, then maybe you could find a way to go onto Uni and get somewhere in life," Diane said.

Spencer just sneered at her and stormed to his room and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

"They have similar physical resemblance; both have dark brown hair cut short, brown eyes, white and large noses," Morgan pointed out.

"We more than likely have a woman as the UNSUB, the genitals removed and stuffed in the mouth suggests that the UNSUB has suffered a sexual experience that they haven't enjoyed and more than likely by a man that resembles these men," Gideon said his hand resenting against his palm.

"Could it have been one of these men?" JJ asked.

"No, because if it was one of these men then there wouldn't be a second death," Gideon said answering her question.

"It says here that half of a bloody footprint on the ground, beside victim one," Emily said reading her file. "Garcia can you try and run the print through the computers and see if you can match the half of the print to a shoe?"

"Anything for you, Em," Garcia said as her fingers began to dance over the multiple keyboards.

"Garcia also check and see if there any recent rapists that have physically appearances like the ones of our victims," Hotch said as he leaned forward into his hand as his eyes flickered over the paper in front of him.

"Anything for you my liege," Garcia said before the screen blanked out.

Quietly each agent went back to their separate chairs to gain a few hours of peace before the storm hit.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **What if?

**Author: **Goldeneyed Angel

**Rating: **M

**Pairings: **NONE

**Summary: **AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become apart of the FBI but a serial killer.

**Disclaimer: **Blah Blah Blah, ramble ramble ramble I don't own criminal minds, blah blah ramble ramle. Now that I have got that out of my system ONWARD.

**Chapter: **Three

"We'll be moving onto a harder algebra, now," Mr Johnson said as wrote equations on the blackboard at the front of the classroom. Turning, his eyes swept over the year ten class. "You have thirty seconds to answer the five questions. Begin." He watched the students scramble to write down the equations and answers, all except one. Spencer Reid the boy with such a gift and no chance to use it. The teen eyes not once left the desk he sat at, drawing invisible lines on the top of the wood.

"Times up. Pencils down," Mr Johnson said and a few students groaned as pencils clattered against the wooden table.

Mr Johnson's eyes narrowed when Spencer still didn't lift his head. Yes the boy was smart and he couldn't deny that but that didn't mean that he could bludge in his class. "Mr Reid, even though you are acing this class it doesn't mean that you don't have to do the work. Answer the questions you have thirty seconds." The man moved to the side and watched his watch tick, but still Spencer didn't lift his head. "Ten seconds left Mr Reid," Mr Johnson said annoyed at the teens attitude.

Immediately the eyes turned up from the desk to him then onto the board with an apathetic expression.

"66, -2b2 +4ab, 21a2-6a2, 9pq2-6pq+4p2q and 2g2+3fg." Reid said once he read each question and looked back down at his desk and began to pack up his books, and stood.

The bell rung and the other students shook their heads and picked up their books as Mr Johnson watched the young teen stalk from the room, his eyes wide. He knew that the boy was smart but never had he done that before answering those type of questions in seconds. The teen disappeared from sight and he wondered was the boy always holding himself back. Shaking his head he turned from his slowly emptying classroom, to look at the equations on the board.

S = ut + ½at2 where u=10, t=3, a=8

Simplify the following

3b2 + 4ab – 5bb

16a (divide) 4 x 5a + a2 – 6a3

8pq2 – 6pq + 4p2q + q2p

Expand

g(2g + 3f)

The mind of the teen simply amazed him. He was the senior maths teacher and even he couldn't have got those answers as fast as the teen had. Shaking his head he sat down and pulled the pile of homework towards him and began to mark it.

* * *

"Hey Spencer, you did amazingly, you wiped that look off his face so fast it was unbelievable." A teen taller than Reid ran up from behind and slung his arm over his shoulder.

"Thanks Paul," Spencer said as they walked towards their lockers.

"So Spence, what happened last night? My place was the usual got another bruise," Paul said as he began to unlock his locker. He looked similar to Reid, brown hair and eyes, yet he was stronger than the skinny teen, Paul was broader across the chest and had well defined muscles.

"No different than usual I to got another to add to the collection," Reid said as he lightly touched the just noticeable bruise on his cheek. "The bastard came home drunk all of our money gone and wasted them he goes and blames mom for it before falling to sleep." Spencer said as he slammed his locker and he and Paul walked empty handed into the cafeteria.

* * *

The jet landed with a soft thud and the team filed from the plane. Two men in police uniforms moved towards them. One was aged, his black hair was almost taken over by gray streaks. His large stomach showed that he longer participated in field work anymore. The other was tall and thin, blonde hair and green eyes, that started at them hard.

"Thank you for getting here so soon after I called, I'm Senior Sergeant Hawkins, and tis in Senior Officer Marks," the man nodded sharply, "Marks was the person in charge of the investigation."

"Jenifer Jareau, we talked on the phone," JJ said shaking the men's hands. "This is Supervisory Special Agent Hotchner and these are Special Agents Prentiss, Morgan and Gideon." After the introductions were made the team climbed into the police cars and silence fell over the group as they were driven to the police station.

* * *

"If there is anything that you need, ask Marks and he will see that it will be done," Hawkins said as he led them into the police station. Many people stopped and looked at them, obvious distaste on many of the faces.

"if possible, a small room or office to set up will be good," JJ said.

"We already have a room ready with all the victims and possible suspects on the board, waiting for you to get started." Hawkins stopped and turned to face them, "Marks will show you the way." The man nodded and weaved his way through the people in the office.

"Follow me," Marks said as he walked past the agents. Emily looked at Morgan who shrugged before picking up his bag and followed the man into the office designated to them.

Marks walked over to the board as the other dropped their bags and looked over the information on the board. "These are the two victims and this man here," he pointed at the picture of a man, "Is the only suspect that we have been able to come up with-" he stopped when he saw Gideon shake his head. "What?" he asked.

"Our UNSUB isn't a male, but a female," Gideon said.

"And why is that?" Marks asked.

"There is no overkill, no trophies have been taken, a single stab killed the man and only after was the testicles removed and stuffed in the men's mouths. The cutting off of the organs suggest that the UNSUB has suffered from a sexual act that they haven't enjoyed, like rape and they are wanting to get back at the person that caused the pain. But as there are two deaths the UNSB can't either get to the man that committed the offense or they can't find the courage to bring themselves to kill the person, which could be their husband, brother, father or some kind of family or friend. So therefore they take that frustration out on another person that takes the physical characteristics of that person. Seeing that the men were found in alleys, it is more than likely that the attacks were not planned but just randomly acted upon. The UNSUB drew the men into the alleys then killed them after she saw that they looked like the person that had hurt her."

Marks glared at the man.

"We have our computer analysis trying to find a mart to the part print of the shoe, to see if anything comes from it." Hotch said as he rearranged papers.

"Your wasting your time, the shoe was found to be a size seven, nothing more was pulled from it," Marks said smugly.

"We are also having her see if there are any rapist that have been prosecuted lately and crossed matched with the physical appearances of the two victims to see if anything comes up and from them we can see if there are any possible suspects from there," Hotch said ignoring the arrogance that rolled off the man.

"Well it seems like I am only going to hinder your work, so I will leave you to it," Marks snarled and stormed from the room.

"Friendly guy," Morgan said when Marks had left.

Emily snorted and Hotch eyed her, "You know we aren't liked that well. He was in control of this case and then we are suddenly called in over the top of him and everyone here is above him so he feels like he is being demoted and he doesn't like it and not to mention frustrating."

"Yes but that doesn't mean that he has to be so rude," Morgan said.

Hotch looked at him and paused before looking down, "No it doesn't but live with it."

"Bow down to your queen my busy little worker bees," Garcia said as he figure appeared on screen.

"Garcia please tell me that you have found something," Morgan said as the team crowded around the laptop.

"Of course I have pumpkin," Garcia crooned. "The shoe print that you had me look at is a size-"

"Seven we know," Morgan said sighing.

Garcia looked up at Morgan, "Darling you know I hate being interrupted whilst I work my magic," she said sweetly (to sweetly).

"Yes but we already-" Morgan started.

"Ah-ah-ah," Garcia said shaking her finger at the man, "Do I not find information, no one else can?"

"Well yes," Morgan said uneasily.

"Then shut-up," Garcia snapped making the rest of the team laugh even Hotch managed a small smile.

"Now the shoe size is a seven but I went ahead and crossed referenced it and found that it is a sixe seven female Colorado." She looked over to Morgan her eyebrows raised.

"I am sorry that I ever doubted your wondrous skill," he said.

Emily coughed behind him, "Suck up," making everyone laugh again.

"Now I also cross referenced any men charged with rape with brown hair and eyes, white. Thirteen men have come up. I have all the mug photos, sitting in front of me and three have exceptionally large noses. However two of these men had killed all the women that he raped so I deleted them. The last man Michael Saunders has a huge list of over one hundred women rapped in just under twenty years."

"We are going to be here awhile," JJ moaned.

"Not quite," Garcia continued, "I continued searching and 43 live in Las Vegas and only two of them have size seven shoes."

"How do you know that baby girl? Shoe size isn't usually taken in on records" Morgan questioned.

"Michael Saunders took the women's shoes as trophies," Garcia answered.

"Good work Garcia. I would like you to see if there any reported rape attempts or reports that haven't been solved against the physical characteristics as well." Hotch said as he finished taking down notes.

"Of course. I will send the files on the two women over and their addresses, also Michael Saunders to the police station via fax. Garcia out," she said before clicking a button and the screen went blank.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **What if?

**Author: **Goldeneyed Angel

**Rating: **M

**Pairings: **NONE

**Summary: **AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become a part of the FBI but a suspect in a case involving a dserial killer.

**Disclaimer: **Blah Blah Blah, ramble ramble ramble I don't own criminal minds, blah blah ramble ramle. Now that I have got that out of my system ONWARD.

**Chapter: **Four

* * *

"Eat," William said angrily as he mowed through his sandwich.

Reid looked down at the piece of dry, slightly mouldy bread on his plate. Poking it he raised his eyebrows and looked at his father. "I get fresher bread than this from the bins of supermarkets, at least that isn't covered in mould."

"Watch your tone boy," William growled placing his sandwich on the plate.

"Why, if you didn't actually squander all our money on alcohol and get drunk every night, we could have a proper meal for once, some cutlery that wasn't bent at odd angles and I wouldn't have to steal rubbish in order to survive." Reid said standing.

Suddenly a hand came out of nowhere and surrounded his neck. Gasping Reid was pulled to his feet.

"Watch your manners boy, I should have drowned you at birth at least then I wouldn't have to put up with a whiny boy that thinks he has got it rough," William snarled as he threw Reid from him.

"Then you should have, at least I wouldn't have to worry about you and your abuse," Reid glared at his father anger and hatred in his eyes as he pushed himself from the floor. Turning his back on his father he stormed to the front door.

"Where are you going boy, you have chores?" William growled.

"Do them yourself for once," Reid said as he slipped into his shoes and opened the door before moving into the darkness of the unlit street.

"GET BACK HERE NOW," William roared but Spencer kept walking and ignored him.

* * *

"Hotch we have another man dead," JJ said as she walked into the office.

"Where and when?" Hotch said standing and gathered his coat.

"In an alley behind Woolworths® in the centre of the city," JJ said "Police officers are already on the scene."

"Morgan, Gideon, come with me," Hotch said as he grabbed a set of keys that one of the officers gave him to one of the police SUV's.

"Prentiss, JJ go and interview the two women, see if they have alibi and if they seem like they would want to take revenge," Hotch said as he Gideon and Morgan let the room.

Ten minutes later they stood over the body of a man.

"He was killed by a single knife stab that pierced his left lung. After death was his gentiles cut and stuffed in his mouth," the woman forensic said standing to face the agents. "The only difference between this murder and the last ones is that the gentiles were cut a few hours after death, this is because there is little blood flow from the wound. Also see here," the woman knelt and pointed to two spots on the man's shirt where the blue was slightly darker. "This area is damp, and the way that the dry spots are shows that the killer only just left in the last half-an-hour at the most. The killer seems to have rested on the man's body and cried."

Hotch and Gideon looked at each other. "Is there anything else?" Gideon asked.

"Not at the moment, once I am able to analysis the body more I can't see anything else. If I find anything I will call you." The woman said before turning to the men behind her. "Alright, let's get him out of here," she said and the men came forward with a body bag.

Morgan walked over to them, "I have nothing, Ms Yams, found the body not long ago as she was taking a short cut home on her mid-morning jog when she came across the body. Did you find anything?"

"Yes several things, but neither make sense, but what I know is that we are going to have to get a profile down ASAP for the UNSUB is starting to break and may go after the cause of her problems soon if not next." Hotch said as they made their way back to the car.

One block from the police station, Gideon saw a take-away shop. "Hey, Hotch drop me off here, I'll get us some lunch."

Hotch pulled the car over and out of the traffic, "Do you want me to wait?" he asked as Gideon got out.

"No, I'll walk it isn't that far to the police station from here." Gideon said shaking his head and walked into the small store.

Five minuted later he walked out of the store arms full of bags. A body suddenly collided with him, making him stumbled backwards almost falling over. Gaining his balance he looked down to see a team sitting on the ground looking up at him angrily.

* * *

Reid walked through the school halls looking for Paul. He didn't return home last night sleeping out on the streets not wanting to go home. Now he couldn't find his only friend and the school bell had gone fifteen minutes ago. Shrugging his shoulders he left the school grounds and walked towards his friends house.

"I'm sorry Spencer," Paul's mom said after he asked to see his friend. "But Paul isn't here and I don't know where he went. The moment that he got home yesterday from school he grabbed his school bag, some clothes and stormed from the house, I haven't seen him since. If you see him please tell him to come home, I miss him." The woman asked.

Reid nodded, "Sure Mrs Ballment." Turning he walked back down the path and along the street, thinking of places to find his missing friend.

His feet tapped against the ground as he walked along the path outside the food stores, he had looked at three places already and they all came up empty and there was only one place left that he could think of and that was on the other side of the town. Suddenly a man walked out in front of him and he couldn't stop in time. He collided with the man and he tumbled to the ground. Angrily he looked up at the man, "Watch were you are going, will you," he spat as he pushed himself to his feet.

"Here let me help you," Gideon said as he put down one of his bags.

Reid stared at the hand before knocking it out the way and stood.

Looking over the teen he took in the dishevelled hair and dirty uniform. "Shouldn't you be in school?" Gideon asked looking at his watch.

"Mind your own business," Reid snarled and pushed his way past the man.

"Hey you are alright?" Gideon asked.

Reid waved his hand in the air and kept walking.

Frowning Gideon bent down and picked up his bag and he saw the old shoes Reid wore, they were female. Frown deepening he continued on his normal path to police station.

"We found nothing, both Mrs Browns and Battle and happily married, one has children the other expecting. Both have a loving and caring husband and both have an alibi for last night." Gideon heard Emily say as he walked into the office.

"Well that doesn't help us," Morgan said.

"I think that we have been looking at this wrong." Gideon said as he put the bags down on the table.

"Why do you say that Jason?" Hotch asked.

Gideon began to tell the team what had just happened to him and the teenager he had bumped into.

"Well guess that it won't hurt to check out, we only have dead ends here," Hotch said standing. "Did you see what school he went to?"

"Yes, Las Vegas State."

"Then let's go," Hotch said as he once more grabbed his keys.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **What if?

**Author: **Goldeneyed Angel

**Rating: **M

**Pairings: **NONE

**Summary: **AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become a part of the FBI but a suspect in a case involving a dserial killer.

**Disclaimer: **Blah Blah Blah, ramble ramble ramble I don't own criminal minds, blah blah ramble ramle. Now that I have got that out of my system ONWARD.

**Chapter: **Five

* * *

Reid signed as he gave up trying to find his friend and began his slow march back to school.

* * *

"You are after one of my students, which one may that be?" the school principal asked.

"I don't know the name ma'am but I know what he looks like. He had brown hair, long almost touching his shoulder, brown eyes, white, looks around fourteen." Gideon said.

"That could be many of our students, why don't we go from class to class to see if he is here," the principal said.

"I did see him about thirty minutes ago on the street," Gideon said as they followed the principal from the office.

"Yes some of our students are able to leave campus during the hour lunch as long as they return to school for their next lesson, if they don't the privilege is taken off them."

Gideon nodded and followed the principal to the first of the classrooms. Twenty rooms and numerous students later, they finished.

"No not one of them was the boy," Gideon shook his head as they walked down the hall.

"We do have a number of students away today," the principal said as she suddenly looked up a scowl coming onto her face. "Mr Reid." She said before storming over to the teen that was wandering up the corridor towards them.

"That's him," Gideon said to Hotch.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"What?" Spencer asked bored.

"Class started twenty-minutes ago and you are late." The woman scowled the teen.

"Your point?" Reid asked, "I could skip everyday of the school year and only come on the days that the exams are on and still ace the entire unit. I know more than most of the teachers here combined so I don't see what the problem is."

"Mr Reid," Gideon said as he moved alongside the Principal.

"Oh it's you again," Spencer frowned.

"My name is Jason Gideon, I am a special agent in the FBI and this is Special Supervisory agent Aaron Hotchner," Gideon said as he and Hotch both pulled out their badges.

"And what does two agents from the Behavioural Analysis Unit from Quantico have with me?" Reid questioned.

"How did you know that we are from the BAU?" Gideon asked intrigued.

"Your badges and I can read."

"That was some fast reading we only had the badges up momentarily."

"Our conscious minds can process sixty million pieces of information per second our unconscious can process eleven million."

"We are here investigating several murders," Hotch said abruptly, cutting in as Gideon opened his mouth.

"Murder?" Reid raised his eyebrows, "And how does your information lead you to a fifteen year old boy?"

"We will explain everything at the police station." Hotch continued, "If you wish to have your parents there you may call them and have them sit in on the conversation."

"Don't waste your breath the bastard wouldn't come anyway and mom wouldn't understand," Reid said before turning and started to walk down the hall.

"Where do you think that you are going?" Hotch asked.

"To the car that is obviously parked outside in the car park, unless you walked all this way, which I doubt," Reid said not even looking back at the agents.

"I'm sorry about him, he has such a great gift but he has never got the chance to move forward with it and I believe that has made him like he is. A bored individual with too much information in his head that he cannot use to his full potential." The principal said as she watched the young man walk away.

"Aren't you worried, that we are taking him off school campus?" Hotch asked.

"No, we get so many students here taken off by police officers we don't bother anymore," the principal said.

"Can you send Mr Reid's profile by fax to the central police station" Hotch asked.

"Of course I shall do it immediately," the woman said before turning to go back to her office. "Oh and Agent Hotchner I hope you catch your killer soon."

"Yes, so do we," Hotch said quietly before the two men walked to catch up to the teen.

* * *

"Here you can wait in here," Gideon said leading Reid into the interview room. "Take a seat and we will be with you shortly," the man said before closing the door behind the teen.

Reid looked around the room and raised an eyebrow at the mirror, knowing full-well that someone was watching him on the other side. Raising a hand he waved before sitting down on one of the chairs. Stretching his arms back he exhaled when his back cracked. Shifting into a comfortable position he stilled only his chest rose and occasionally blinked.

"He is at ease, almost at too much of an ease," Hotch said as he watched the teen stretch out. "He is trying to annoy us," he muttered before turning.

Gideon watched the teen, he was drawn to the teen for some reason. The boy put up a brave front with his I don't care attitude, yet deep in his eyes, a voice pleaded to help him. Gideon saw and heard this voice and truly wanted to reach out and help him.

"JJ and Prentiss go over to his parents and see if you find a knife that fits the description the coroner sent to us, and inform his parents that we are able to hold him for seventy-two hours without any charges. Garcia see what you can pull up on the Reid's and the father's appearance," Hotch said looking at the computer.

"Yes sir," Garcia said.

"Morgan, can you see if Mr Reid wants anything, like water and explain his rights to him."

"Sure," the dark man said moving to the door.

Spencer looked up when the door opened half wanting to see Gideon, for some reason the man intrigued by him and made him feel calm and peaceful in his presence.

"Hello Mr Reid my name is Agent Morgan, is there anything that you would like to drink?" the dark man said.

"Water please, and you may call me Spencer or just Reid I prefer that I don't like being called after my father," Spencer said as he sat up.

Morgan nodded and moved to the door, "Would I be able to get a pack of cards or something please?" the teen asked.

"I shall see what I can do," Morgan said before going out the door and closed it behind him.

Walking over to the fridge he pulled out a small bottle of water and moved to Gideon, "He asked for a pack of cards."

"Let him have some, it is going to be a few hours before the questioning starts," Gideon nodded and he fished through his bag and pulled out a box.

"Thanks," Morgan said taking the pack and went back to the room. "Here," the man said placing the bottle and box on the table.

"Thanks," the teen said as he reached over and picked the box, and gently pulled the cards out and began shuffling them, his hands steady.

"Anything that you say in this room, can be used against you in court, if you are going to be charged," Morgan said as he sat down. "You can call a lawyer or your parents can sit in here with you as you're under eighteen, we can also hold you for seventy-two hours without a charge, do you understand this?"

Reid looked up from the cards, never stopping shuffling, "I understand my rights. I would rather not have my parents in here and we don't have enough money to pay a lawyer, and I can speak for myself well enough."

"Very well," Morgan said standing and left the room. As he closed the door he saw Gideon had moved back to the window. Moving next to him, Morgan saw the teen had started to set the cards out to play solitaire.

"The school just faxed Mr Reid's file, it says here that he has aced every class without even trying and ever since grade two the teachers have tried to get the boy moved up a grade but his father keeps saying no. Spencer Reid is fifteen and has had nine child abuse records filed but nothing has ever come out of them." Hotch looked up at the teen through the window as he flipped cards over. "I thought I saw finger marks around his neck before." The man shook his head and closed the file before opening the one under it. "Garcia pulled some interesting information out about the family, look here Mr William Reid." Hotch said as he pulled out a photo.  
"He looks the same as the men that were killed," Morgan said.

Hotch pursed his lips until they almost disappeared into a straight line, "His mother is ill with the start of schizophrenia and his father has had many child abuse files made against him about his son, but all have fallen through, he also has numerous drunkenness charges against him." Hotch closed the file with a snap, his nostrils flaring, "Gideon, I think that we have our UNSUB. It is all here, all we have to wait for in the murder weapon, when JJ and Emily get back Gideon and I will go in and start the interview." Hotch said turning away from the men.

Gideon looked back to the teen watching him shuffling the pack once more.

* * *

JJ and Emily looked at each when they saw the depraved house.

"We have the right address right?" Emily asked JJ.

JJ looked down at the piece of paper in her hands, "Yes."

"Well let's get this over and done with them," Emily said walking forward and up to the house. Knocking on the door, Emily looked back over the street.

"Yes?" a woman asked when she opened the door.

"Hello we are agents Prentiss and Jereau from the FBI, are you Mrs Reid?" Emily said as she held out her badge.

"What is wrong?" Diana asked.

"Nothing at the moment Mrs Reid, your son is down at the station being asked several questions about resent murders that have taken place." JJ said "Are we able to come inside and look at your son's room and around the house please, it may be helpful for the investigation."

"Spence, he wouldn't kill anyone, he is a gentle soul," Diana protested.

"I'm sorry Mrs Reid, but could we please enter the house," JJ said.

Diana nodded silently and opened the door and let the agents enter the house.

"Could you show me your son's room please?" Emily asked.

Diana nodded and led the woman into the room, as JJ moved into the kitchen and began to search through the few draws. Flicking through the cutlery she came across a knife about four inches long and a thin blade. Picking it up she pulled out a plastic bag from her pocket and placed it in the bag. Quietly she slipped out of the kitchen and found Mrs Reid standing outside a door. Moving over to her she saw Emily inside. The room was small, with an old rickety bed and mattress on it covered with thin bare sheets. A few old books were stacked in a small pile in a corner. Looking up Emily saw JJ and she shook her head. JJ slightly nodded and lowered her hand to her pocket and pulled the bag up slightly showing the hilt of the knife.

Emily nodded, "Thank you Mrs Reid that is all that we need to see."

"Can I come to the station with you please? I want to see my son," Diana pleaded.

"Of cour-"

"DIANA," a man roared inside the house.

"In here dear," the woman called back.

"Who are you?" William Reid demanded, "what are you doing in my house?"

"We are Special Agents Prentiss and Jereau from the FBI, we are investigating a murder that contains your son." JJ said as she held up her badge and Emily came out of the room holding her badge up as well.

"WHAT?" the man roared.

"Calm down dear, they are just asking him a few questions right?" Diana said as she looked back at the agents.

"For now," JJ said, "We have seen what we needed to see, so if you wish you can come with us to the station."

"We'll drive," William said as he stormed from the house to his car.

Diana smiled and followed the man.

JJ and Emily looked at each other once more, before leaving the house.

* * *

"Hotch, the Reid's are here," JJ said as she hurried into the room and dug out the knife from her pocket and gave it to the man. "It was in the kitchen in a draw."

The man nodded, "Good work."

"Oh and Hotch, Mr Reid, is crazy he-" a voice blocked her out.

"SPENCER WHERE ARE YOU?"

JJ sighed, "That's him there."

Hotch nodded and walked past the woman outside to calm Mr Reid down.

Entering the main room, he saw Mr Reid looking angry as he squared off with Morgan and Mrs Reid stood back and to side looking unsure. "Mr Reid, this is a police station, it would be appreciated if you stopped yelling people are trying to work."

"Where is my son, I demand that you release him, or take me to him," Mr Reid demanded.

"We are legally allowed to hold your son for seventy-two hours without pressing charges, but we can show the room that he is being held in, but your son doesn't want you in the room as he is being interviewed, as it is his choice." Hotch said again.

"Fine," William spat before turning and walked away from the agents.

A frown creased Hotch's forehead, "May I ask where you are going?"

"If you are only going to let me look at him through a window, there's no point and I am going home, I see enough of the brat as it is," William said stopping. "And from the way you are speaking I take it that you will contain him for the full seventy-two hours, so I will just waste my time here." He continued along his original path out the door. Soon his voice was heard again, "DIANA."

Diana smiled at them before following the man.

"You don't have to go," Emily said, "You can wait here."

"No, my husband is right," she said softly before exiting the police station.

"Loving parents there," JJ snorted.

"Gideon it's time," Hotch said as he tore his eyed from the door.

Gideon nodded and followed, Hotch, waiting momentarily for the man to grab a file and the knife, before entering the interview room.

The first thing that Gideon saw was Spencer looking down at the card in his hand, not moving, not even blinking, a card pyramid stood in the middle of the table.

"I heard my father, I knew that you would have to tell them, but didn't expect him to actually come," Reid said, as if almost to himself.

"Your mother was here to," Gideon said as he moved over to the other side of the desk, as Hotch closed the door.

"She was," Spencer said, not asking them, as he started to turn the card in his hands around.

Gideon saw it was a joker. "Double faced liars. It is depressing when you think, that we humans build our lives on lies, and if one crumbles the entire mountain falls." He flicked his wrist and the card hit the pyramid and it started to fall, cards floating to the table, all face down, except for the joker on the top. Flipping it over Spencer pushed the cards together until he had them all in his hands, then began to slide them back into the packet.

"Spencer Reid," Hotch said firmly taking over, "You are suspected to be the murderer of Graham Lamps, Steve Clarks and Robert Storm. Do you admit to murders."  
Reid looked up at the man, "I haven't killed anyone and never intend to. But as you seem to have made up your mind would you like to inform me on what evidence is set against me."

"Where were you on the nights September 4th , October 4th and October 5th?" Hotch asked.

"Let me see, all of those nights I was out, and no I didn't have an alibi. But that doesn't mean that I killed those men."

"No, but it is awfully suspicious." Hotch said as Gideon stayed quiet letting Hotch take control of the interview. But he watched for anything, like the twitch of a finger or something that would give the teen away, so far he didn't seem to be lying, but the interview had only just started.

Hotch grabbed the file and pulled out three pictures and laid them down on the table facing the teen, three more in his hands. "They all look like a particular person, do you know who it is?" Hotch asked.

Spencer lowered his eyes and he looked at the three smiling photos of the men. "They all look like my father. Brown hair and eyes, even a similar large nose," Reid said, "So?"

"Do you hate your father Spencer?" Gideon suddenly said.

Reid blinked at the sudden change of the conversation. He looked at the man, a frown on his face as he looked down at the table, avoiding looking at the pictures of the smiling men. "Yes, I do."

"Why?" Gideon asked.

"I can tell you why" Hotch said, "Because his father is abusive. He hits him, see the finger marks around his neck." The man pointed to the teen's neck. "You avoid looking at the men now, because you see smiling men that look like your father and somewhat wish for that-"

"AND IF IT DOES," Spencer said shooting to his feet glaring at the agent, "Can't I wish for a normal family, a happy life for once. Your right, the man hits and abuses me, so of course I hate the bastard. Wouldn't you if your own father beated you trying to get you to be submissive?"

"Yes I would, but I would not go out and kill others that look like him," Hotch said trying to bait the young man.

"I didn't kill anyone, I hate the man but-" Reid retorted.

"You sure you didn't kill anyone, you sure your anger didn't drive you to do this to another man?" Hotch laid the three pictures in his hand on the table over the top of the other three pictures.

Reid looked down at them, and his arms began to shake slightly, and he sat down with a soft thump. Reaching forward he flipped the pictures over.

The two agents watched him, only two possibilities could come from a reaction like that, one; the teen was innocent, two; he knew that he was caught.

Hotch let him sit there for a moment before continuing. "Bloody footprints were found and they matched to shoes, that were female, size seven and Colorado. What are your shoes you are wearing?"

Reid looked up at him before reaching down and took off his left shoe and handed placed it on the table.

"A size seven, female, Colorado, an old one, but the same for sure." Gideon said once he finished examining the shoe.

"Looking very innocent," Hotch mocked the teen.

"I didn't kill them," Reid said softly.

"The explain this," Hotch said sliding the knife in the blade across the table. It matches the weapon used to kill the men and we found it in your kitchen."

"And, every other household in LasVegas has knives like this," Reid said motioning to the blade.

"The evidence is against you, the shoes, the murder weapon, your father meets the description so did you. Did you not murder Graham Lamps, Steve Clarks and Robert Storm." Hotch said firmly his voice raising to a yell at the end, as he towered over the seated teen.

Cold eyes looked up at the profiler, "I did not kill them."

Hotch exhaled his nostrils flaring as he grabbed the file, the photos and the knife. "The killer of Graham Lamps, Steve Clarks and Robert Storm, is facing life in jail or the death plenty. We will leave you here to think on that," Hotch said before he and Gideon moved to the door.

"Agent Hotchner," Spencer said when the dark haired man opened the door.

Hotch turned around and looked at the teen.

"My father has yelled at me every day for my life, don't bother yelling anymore it doesn't work. Oh and the threat was pointless by the way."

Hotch stayed there for a moment longer waiting, but Reid pulled the cards out of the pack again and began shuffling.

Hotch walked out of the room and shut the door behind Gideon.

"So what do you think?" Morgan asked as he and the rest of the team moved away from the mirror.

"It isn't him," Gideon said. "The way that he looked at the photos said that, he looked like he was going to vomit."

"I agree," Hotch said, "It isn't him."

"So are we are back at square one." Everyone fell into a long silence.

"No, I feel like he has something to do with this case but I can't put my finger on it," Gideon said softy

"So are we going to release him?" Morgan asked.

"No," Gideon said, "He is innocent and he knows it. We will keep him in here for the seventy-two hours even if it is to keep him away from his father for a bit longer. Once this is all over I am going to have an investigation go into him and the child abuse and see if he can be removed from the house." Gideon moved to the window and saw Spencer once more looking down at the joker in his hands, and if you looked close enough you could see a single tear slide down the teens cheek. "I'll have him moved to one of the cells later so he can get some sleep and food."

Hotch nodded and move back to the office they were given. The team watched the man sit down heavily and put his head in his hands.

* * *

Gideon opened the door to the cell and placed the tray of food down onto the small table. "Spencer eat you must be hungry," the man said sitting down.

Reid sat up on the bed that was in the cell.

"Thank you," he said sitting up and took the lid off the dish and picked up his fork and began on the stir-fry.

"Spencer, I am going to get you out of the house and away from that man," he said.

Reid sighed and put his fork down, "Do you know how long I waited and longed for those words? Nine investigations have already taken place and not one was given enough evidence that something was wrong enough to have me taken from that house."

"Not this time Spencer, this time you will be taken from that house and will never have to suffer your father's abuse anymore."

"Yeah-sure," Spencer said and picked up his fork and began to eat in silence and not once could Gideon get Reid to open up again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **What if?

**Author: **Goldeneyed Angel

**Rating: **M

**Pairings: **NONE

**Summary: **AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become a part of the FBI but a suspect in a case involving a dserial killer.

**Disclaimer: **Blah Blah Blah, ramble ramble ramble I don't own criminal minds, blah blah ramble ramle. Now that I have got that out of my system ONWARD.

**Chapter: **Six

The next morning Gideon stood outside looking in on the sleeping teen.

"Gideon," Morgan said stopping beside the man, "Another body has been found. It has been brutally ripped open, his stomach was cut open as well as his genitals cut off. Our UNSUB has either finally got the courage to kill their problem or they are starting to lose it. If it is the first then we'll never be able to catch them." The two men fell into silence and watched the teen sleep. "Hotch said to let him out." Morgan clapped the man on the arm and left him.

Gideon looked into the cell before sighing and entered the clattering of the lock waking the teen.

"What is it?" Reid yawned as he sat up.

"We are letting you go, another murder took place last night," Gideon said softly.

"Oh," Spencer said as he bent over and began to put on his shoes.

"Spencer I will get you out of there I promise, he will never lay other hand on you again, here," the man pulled a card from his pocket, "any time you need to call, even if it is to just talk my ears will be open for you," he said softly.

Reid took the card, nodding before standing and placing it in his pocket.

Gideon led the young man from the cell and out the police station. "Do you want me to drive you?"

"No, I would prefer to walk thanks," Spencer said as he started to walk.

"Okay, just remember I will get you out Spencer, I will."

* * *

Spencer scraped his feet along the pathway as he walked home from the police station that he had just been released from. He thought back to Gideon's last few words. "I will get you out Spencer, I will," Spencer snorted, like it mattered any more. Stopping he looked up at the house. Taking a deep breath he moved up to the door and entered.

"Spence," Diana cried as she moved over to teen and hugged him.

"BOY!" William roared as he came around the corner, immediately backhanding the teen, but unlike usual he didn't let him fall, instead closed his hand around the slim throat of his son. "WHAT did you tell those PIGS*," he roared.

(* Pigs if you don't know is the term used by Australians for the police.)

Reid gasped as he looked up at his father as his knees gave out from the lack of oxygen entering his body. His hands clawed at the limb encasing his throat wanting nothing more than to breathe.

"William you are going to kill him," Diana cried out.

"I should have drowned him at birth," William retorted as he began to beat Reid till he was black and blue.

Finally the man was satisfied and left Reid sobbing on the ground, towing Diana behind him.

Uncurling himself he pushed himself to his feet and limped to the door and he left the house never intending to return. He walked and walked, letting his feet take him where they wanted to go. However the going was slow, his left leg on fire, he knew his father had cracked or badly damaged the thigh for he heard a loud crack come from it when he was beaten. As long as he didn't return to the house he didn't care where he went.

* * *

"Spencer?" a voice asked shocked, "What happened to you?" A male voice said to the side.

Spencer looked up and saw a figure come out of an alley beside him.

"Spencer," Paul laid his hand on the teens shoulder and he growled when his friend flinched, "He did this didn't he?"

"Yes," Spencer said softly as Paul guided him back into the alley.

Spencer, I did it," Paul said when they finally sat. Paul reached over and fiddled with a bag on the ground and a cell and hand gun fell out.

"Paul where did you get them from?" Spencer asked.

"The bastard of a father," Paul said as he lifted up a knife stained in blood.

A cold sensation filled Reid, Paul was the killer his best friend was the killer, he felt like curling up and telling the rest of the world to piss off.

"I got rid of him Spence and I will never have to live under his rule again," Paul said his eyes floating off dreamily.

"…..facing life in jail or the death plenty…" Agent Hotchner's voice floated back to Spencer.

"Spencer," Paul suddenly stood, "I will rid you of him to," he ran to the entrance of the alley.

"PAUL," Spencer yelled and tried to stand but his leg gave out.

"Stay here Spencer, I will do it and return for you," he said, "Then we can leave and be free." The teen took off at a run.

"PAUL," Spencer yelled but the teen was gone. He looked around frantically and his eyes fell upon the cell. Crawling over to the cell he picked it up and turned it on, digging into his pocket he pulled out a card and began to dial the under on it.

"Gideon," he said softly.

"Spencer?" Gideon's head shot up, 'What is it?" he was shocked he didn't expect the teen to ring back ever.

"My father, Paul is going after my father, he is the killer, I don't care if the old bastard dies, but I don't want my mother to see." Spencer said.

"Okay Spencer, we'll send a team over to the house," he looked up at the team looking at him, "Morgan get over to the Reid's the UNSUB is heading there to kill Mr Reid." Morgan stood along with the others.

"Gideon," Hotch asked, "What of you?"

"I am going to find Spencer," he said softly.  
"Spencer where are you?" he said back into the phone, but the call had already finished, Reid hanging up. "SHIT," the man swore.

Hotch blinked it wasn't often that the man would use 'vulgar language' as he called it. He watched the man call Garcia to find the cell of a number.

"Hotch? Are you coming?" Morgan asked as he came back in wearing his vest.

"No, Gideon needs me you go," Hotch said shaking his head.

Morgan nodded and took off out of the police station like a scolded cat.

"Gideon I got it," Garcia said.

"Good what is the address?" The man asked.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **What if?

**Author: **Goldeneyed Angel

**Rating: **M

**Pairings: **NONE

**Summary: **AU, What if Spencer Reid didn't become a part of the FBI but a suspect in a case involving a dserial killer.

**Disclaimer: **Blah Blah Blah, ramble ramble ramble I don't own criminal minds, blah blah ramble ramle. Now that I have got that out of my system ONWARD.

**Chapter: **Seven

Morgan drove under full siren to the Reid's address, closely followed but the SWAT team. Sliding to a stop he, Emily, JJ and the SWAT team leaped from the cars. Morgan motioned for the SWAT team to surround the house as he and Emily went up to the front door with SWAT members and stormed in.

"FBI," the man roared as he lifted his gun to aim at the jumble of bodies, not far from the entrance.

Paul held a long knife to a kneeling William Reid's throat. Diana sobbed to the side.

"Son, drop the knife and we will talk about this, killing him won't help," Morgan said as he trained his gun on the teen. One of the SWAT men moved around the side and pulled the distraught woman out of the house.

"Yes it will, it helped me," Paul yelled the knife slipping slightly.

"Killing people doesn't help," Morgan said softly, taking a step forward.

"STAY BACK," Paul yelled, and Morgan froze as the knife came back up to William throat. The man shook his eyes following the blade, his breathing hitched and the trembling increased.

Emily let Morgan take control as she got a shot in and watched as the SWAT team entered the house from behind.

"TELL THEM, BASTARD, TELL THEM WHAT YOU DID TO SPENCER," Paul yelled shaking the man.

William opened his mouth and nothing but a gurgle came out.

"TELL THEM," Paul shook the man.

"I-I beat-Spencer. I-nearly-killed," the paused coughed "before-I was-angry." William chocked out.

"You're like my father exactly like him and now I will free Spencer from you forever." Paul said as he started to move the knife.

Morgan yelled as gun shots from the SWAT men filled the room and Paul fell to the ground, blood pouring from his chest.

Morgan ran over to him and threw the knife away out of reach, he put his hands over the wounds but knew that the teen was going to die.

"Tell Spencer goodbye," the teen whispered before his eyes closed.

Morgan hung his head, he hated cases like this.

William gasped to the side his eyes wide open. Morgan stood towering over the man, "Mr William Reid, you are under arrest for child abuse and attempted murder," he looked at one of the SWAT men, "Take him away."

* * *

Spencer hung up the phone as he heard Gideon tell the team to go to his house. Placing the cell on the ground his eyes fell onto the gun. Leaning over he picked it up and began to turn it in his hands slowly. Opening it he saw two bullet ends in the gun. Closing it again he closed his eyes, and fiddled with it again and the barrel faced him.

* * *

Gideon drove with his hands tight around the steering wheel as he drove to the address that Garcia had given him. A tight feeling filled his gut and he knew that something was wrong.

"Gideon, slow down, nothing is going to happen," Hotch said holding onto the dashboard.

"No Hotch, I have this feeling that today isn't going to end well," Gideon said as he turned and parked sharply before jumping out of the SUV, after quickly turning it off. He threw the keys into Hotch's lap and ran towards the alley. Hotch sighed and quickly followed his team mate.

"SPENCER DON'T," he heard Gideon yell. Aaron cursed and ran the last few metres till he stood next to his friend. His dark eyes took in the scene; the teen sat a few metres from them, a gun in his hands with the barrel pointing towards his chest. Immediately he pulled his own gun from his holster and trained it upon the teen, "Drop the gun, Spencer," he said clearly and strong.

Spencer twitched but his eyes never left the gun, "My life is so screwed, I am abused by my own father, my best friend and only friend is a serial killer and at the very least is in jail for life, and my own father can't even get caught for child abuse that has been so obvious since I was six years old."

"Spencer, don't let him control your life, after today he will never be able to touch you again," Gideon said, "Remember I promised."

"Do you also remember saying 'he will never lay other hand on you again' then why is it that I look like this?" For the first time, Spencer looked up at them. His face was black and blue, his right eye swollen, his nose and lip bloodied.

"I'm sorry Spencer, I truly am, I didn't want you to get hurt again," Gideon said softly regret deep in his words. "I will take you somewhere safe-"

"An orphanage, I am not stupid." Reid snapped, "I will go to an orphanage, my father will go to jail and my mother to a institute. She is suffering, I know she has a mental illness I see the signs but father," he spat the word, "Refuses to see it. I will go to an orphanage and stay there for three years then kicked out to go my own way from the moment I turn eighteen. I know that no one wants a teenager to adopt, especially not one that has been abused, for who knows what problems and costs will come from that."

"Spencer," Gideon said sadly and he took a step forward.

"I wonder if taking my life would be easier, just ending it here and now not having to worry about life just resting in eternal peace, hmm that would be nice," the teen said softly.

"It won't help Spencer," Gideon said as he took another pace forward and another closing the distance between him and Spencer. "You are just giving up, not even giving up a fight."

"I gave up that fight long ago," Spencer said as he dropped his head and sobbed, "I hate my life," he whispered.

Gideon closed the distance between them and drew the sobbing teen into a hug and softly pulled the gun from his hands. "Shhh," he said softly as Reid turned and sobbed into his shirt.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Gideon paced around his apartment he couldn't stop thinking of the young teen and the last time he saw him.

"_My new home for another three years," Spencer said looking up at the three storey orphanage. _

"_Spencer, a family may adopt you," Gideon said, "Don't give up hope."_

_Spencer just snorted but turned to him, "Thank you for stopping me, killing myself I don't think mom would have been able to take it."_

"_You're welcome Spencer," the older man said before stepping forward and enveloped the teen in a one-sided hug. "Take care of yourself son," the man said before climbing back into the police car and was driven to the airport. _

_Spencer watched the car depart before he softly whispered, "Goodbye," before picking up his one small bag and entered the orphanage. _

He followed the teen's progress but the caretakers said that he just locked himself into his room and read all day when he wasn't at school and families had looked at him but all said no. Gideon knew that it was early but he knew that Spencer was right when he said that no one would adopt him being a teenager with problems. The man looked down at the papers that laid on his table fully filled out except for two signatures, his and Spencers. Shaking his head he picked up his cell and called Hotch.

"Aaron Hotchner," the man said answering his phone.

"Hey Hotch," Gideon started.

"Gideon it is still two hours till work starts has something gone wrong?"

"No, I'm calling to say that I can't get to work for a few days okay."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I am going away for a few days something has come up."

"Okay I will cover for you here,"

"Thanks," the man hung up his phone and picked up the papers and pushed them into a file and walked into his bedroom. Hastily he stuffed his bag with several clothes and grabbed the file and bag before leaving his apartment closing the door behind him.

* * *

Spencer leafed through the book in his hands, not really reading or looking at the words, his mind miles away. Ever since he had come here two weeks ago, several couples had come into his room, before smiling and stepping out again, shaking their heads to the caretaker and moved onto the younger children. It wasn't the rejection that hurt the teen, but the looks on their faces. First shock at his age, then dismissal, he knew that this would happen but it did.

"Spencer," the caretaker said from the door, "There is someone to see you."

"Tell them to go away, they will only say no, and he is too old and move onto the younger children. It saves both them and me time," Spencer said not even looking up from the pages of the book.

"What if I don't want someone older," a voice said from behind the woman.

"Gideon?" Spencer asked as he looked up startled, "What are you doing here? You should be in Quantico."

Gideon smiled and moved into the room, as the caretaker stepped out of the way and back to her office and small smile graced her lips.

"I told you I would get you out of there and would always be here for you," the man said.

"Yeah, and look where it ended me, in a small room, an exhibit for people to come in and out to only see rejection on their faces and say no as if I am a puppy in the pet shop." Reid spat.

"I know, I fear that I made it worse for you, that is why I am here, to ask if you would a second chance at an family," Gideon asked sitting down a file in his hands.

"Why?" Reid's eyes narrowed, "Are you feeling guilty, that you couldn't save me like you wanted to?"

"No, I am intrigued by you, the moment that I left you here at this place, I wanted to go back pull you into the car and take you home with me."

"What about your job? You can't take me with you. Am I to stay home and move from school to home and look after myself?" Reid spat.

"No, Spencer," the man opened the file and pulled out sheets stapled together and handed it to the teen.

Reid looked down at the paper and two words stood out on the sheet. 'JOB RESIGNATION'. He sat there looking at the paper before leafing through it and it was completely filled out even the signature down the bottom. "You mean to do this, you really do mean to?" he asked looking up, hope and want shinning in his eyes. Here a man sat in front of him, giving him the chance of having a new future and giving him a chance of actually having a family.

Gideon opened the file again and pulled out several more pieces of paper and handed them to the teen. "It is all filled out; all you have to do is say yes. If not I will walk out of this room and leave you alone from now on. If you say yes and sign I will give you a home, a good school, UNI later on, and most of all I will give you a parent. If you don't want me as a father figure I understand, but I will be there for you as a person to rely on and will always be there for you." Gideon said leaning forward and rested his elbows on his thighs watching the teen leaf through the papers.

Spencer, forgot to breathe as he looked through the papers, he looked up tears in his eyes, "Yes," he said "Yes."  
Gideon stood a smile wide on his face and Reid flung himself into the man's arms and sobbed once more, and for the first time for years they were of happiness and not sorrow.

THE END

For those who are wondering why I ended it here, I just thought that it felt right.

I hope you enjoyed this, I have a feeling that I won't be updating another story for some time as I am coming to the end of the school year and I am starting my next novel and looking for a agent for my first.

Goodbye for now but not forever.

Goldeneyed Angel


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